Speak Now
by Holly Marie Fowl
Summary: ...Or forever hold your peace. Based loosely on Speak Now by Taylor Swift. Little to no spoilers for Behemoth. R&R!


**Salvete**. This started off as a sort-of romantic songfic, but I think I accidentally gave it a slight plot. Oops. Either that, or I've watched far too many episodes of _Merlin_. Either way, I hope you like it. It was loosely based on Speak Now by Taylor Swift. It actually uses two metaphors that I loved in that song.

On another note, happy really really late birthday ByStarlight999. ;) (This was supposed to be published on your birthday, but I procrastinated too much, and it ended up not being published then...so happy birthday anyway. :D)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Scott Westerfeld, and I'm clearly not Taylor Swift. The bride's pastry-shaped dress is owned entirely by Taylor.

138

"_I'm not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion, but you are not the type of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl_." –Taylor Swift, "Speak Now"

Someone once said, "People do crazy things when they're in love." Deryn was sincerely beginning to believe this as she studied herself in the mirror, eyes lingering on her stomach for a moment. She shook her head. Somehow, she'd ended up breaking the promise that she'd made to herself ages ago: that she'd never wear a dress again. Unfortunately, men's clothes were too revealing at the moment. Not to mention that her clothes from the Leviathan didn't fit. She was also hoping that they wouldn't recognize her if she wore a dress. After all, many of the attending guests didn't even know her. She glared at the invitation in her hand. If he hadn't avoided her for the past month, she wouldn't have to do this.

As she walked to the church, she tried to convince herself that she would only embarrass herself. This wasn't the right plan. Interrupting a wedding was going to get her in serious trouble. Yet something in her stubborn nature insisted that there was no other way. Her hands were shaking as she handed the security her invitation, which was now almost damp with sweat. They nodded her in and she entered the almost-quiet of the church. Normally she enjoyed the sense of peacefulness when she entered, but there was a frenzy about the air that came from an attempt at perfection. She saw the top of Volger's head and ducked behind a curtain. He couldn't see her. He would know. He would see it in her eyes and kick her out. Peeking through the fringes, she saw Dr. Barlow leaning on the man as they walked to their seat. For a disturbing moment, she wondered if they were together.

Deryn stayed behind the curtain until the organ started playing something vaguely resembling a death march, or perhaps that was just her mood. Then she slid into the end of a pew. Alek hadn't seen her, but she could quite clearly see the look on his face. It was blank, controlled. That was the face he used to wear when he was doing a rather boring task on the _Leviathan_. Her heart clenched as she remembered her time on the ship.

Her memories were cut short as the group collectively shifted to look in awe at the bride gliding down the aisle. Her steps were graceful, but Deryn couldn't help but notice that underneath the pastry-shaped dress, the girl had the same look as Alek. Was this marriage arranged?

Deryn caught sight of a man across the room, staring at the bride. He was shaking. Could he have the same intentions as her?

He saw her and caught her eye. Something of an understanding passed between them. Deryn turned back to the altar nervously. She tried to listen to the priest, but his German words slipped past her ears. Her hands were shaking beyond control, and she was beginning to feel sick. _Not now,_ she prayed. _Let me do this._

"If anyone should have a reason these two should not be wed, speak now...or forever hold your peace," the priest declared. There were a couple of heads looking about curiously in the deafening silence. This was her last chance, and it was slipping away. Deryn forced herself to stand up, trying to get her hands to stop shaking. Every head in the room turned to look at her, probably with disgusted and horrified looks. Deryn forced herself to look directly into Alek's green eyes.

She took a shaky breath. "How many of you understand English?"

She heard a few responding curses in German and Russian and several confused looks. No one, except Volger and Barlow, who were both facing her with shocked and maybe amused expressions. "Perfect. Alek, there's something that I have to say to you."

She could see a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth as she walked to the front of the church. Curiosity sparked in his eyes when he lightly stepped down to meet her.

"Der, I told you, there's nothing that can be done," he began to whisper, but she cut him off. She put a hand on his shoulder and leaned forward to whisper her secret in his ear. She found herself unable to say it when she knew Volger and Barlow would understand her. There was no way they even knew what had happened, or had been happening, until the engagement. She'd been keeping the secret for a good month. Her brother would have tried to kill Alek, and her mother was back in Glasgow. Deryn had no intention of running back to her mother, who would only look down on her at disgust, claim she'd been right all along, and kick her out of the house.

He sucked in a breath and tried to say something, but it ended up a jumbled mess. "Wha…How…" He shook his head in shock, trying to get it through his head.

"Did you mean what you said in America?"

"Deryn…"

"Did you or not?"

"Yes!" he snapped. "Why didn't you come talk to me before this?"

"I tried! You successfully managed to avoid me! I had no other choice. I couldn't let you make the biggest mistake of your life."

Their voices were rising, and Deryn was wondering if this would turn into a fight.

"It can't be a mistake if it brings peace," Alek said, unconvinced.

"Peace for them but unhappiness for you," she said.

Anastasia, Alek's bride, spoke in piercing German. "What, exactly, is going on here?"

Alek looked between the two women. Deryn could see the indecision in his eyes.

The man she had seen earlier stood up. "I, too, have an objection."

Anastasia was looking very impatient with the man, eyes narrowed.

The man came up, bowed slightly to Alek, then did the same to Anastasia. "I have some information that is of interest to you, Prince Aleksander."

"Forgive me, but who exactly are you?"

"I am Demetrie. I worked in Anastasia's household for a long while. I trailed them to the wedding and the hotel room."

"You!" screamed Anastasia. "You were the bellhop!"  
The man smirked in an entirely arrogant way. "I was. And I assure you, madam, I heard everything. This wedding," he turned to Alek, "is a set-up. Anastasia and her father have wanted nothing more than to take over the Austro-Hungarian Empire for ages. All she had to do was marry you and then subtly slip some poison into your cup."

"You understand why I cannot exactly just accept the word of one common man. For all I know, you want to prevent peace between Austria-Hungary and Russia."

"Peace can still be achieved, but not through marriage. Besides," the man added with a laugh, looking at Deryn. "You clearly have left something unfinished with this woman."

Deryn felt her cheeks burning, wondering if he could somehow pick out the signs. Alek had his hand defensively on her back. She wondered how long it'd been there. It used to be that she noticed every touch, but now she supposed she'd gotten used to it. That was why the last month had been painful. A month away from him and she sank comfortably back onto old habits without a thought.

Alek was silent for moment. Then he turned to face his would-be bride. "Anastasia…"

"His accusations are not true, Your Highness!"

"Whether they are or not, I am afraid I simply cannot marry you. Anastasia, you are a beautiful, clever woman, not to mention a lovely bride. But I don't love you, and I know that you don't love me," Alek said. "We need to admit what's in front of us. I don't want to enter into a loveless marriage. Perhaps a peace treaty can be arranged instead."

Anastasia's father was striding to the front of the altar.

The girl herself sighed. "I knew it. I knew you were hiding something—someone—when we first met. To think this whore is the one that you would prefer over me is truly regretable."

Deryn bit her tongue, trying to convince herself that if she went up and slapped Anastasia, she would end up in jail. Alek tensed beside her.

Anastasia's father said something in Russian, to which the girl replied in short snappish words.

The priest stepped in. "So, there is no wedding?"

"I think that, at least, we can agree on," Alek said. "Now if you'll excuse us."

His arm still around her, he led Deryn from the church.

"You have made quite a mess of things," he whispered into her ear, once they'd left the church.

"Aye, I suppose I have."

He kissed her temple. "And I thank you for it. It's funny how you were the best airman—airwoman—on the _Leviathan_, yet speaking like that terrified you."

"Aye, but I'd like to see you stand up and do that," she smiled back.

Alek didn't say anything until they got back to her house. "So, how much were you paid to wear a dress?"

Deryn never answered, finding that kissing him was a much better response.

**End Notes: **

Okay, so a couple of things to explain, in case you didn't catch everything. This takes place after the war, so about 1918, maybe a bit later. Deryn was on the ship throughout the war (which will go to America, according to Westerfeld's interview), with Alek, and then she left (the reason she left is up to you). She'd been having an affair with him and ended up pregnant. She tried to tell Alek, but after the engagement, he tried avoided her to make it less painful. Speaking of engagements, I need to explain about Anastasia. Yes, I am talking about the same Anastasia... I figure that in Westerfeld's world, the Russian Revolution never happened. If I'm remembering our history correctly, Russia was failing at the war because of lack of supplies. (spoiler!) _Behemoth_ basically established a route for Britain to get supplies to Russia. I don't know how the war goes in his world, but I doubt the Revolution will actually happen for the time being. Back to the story. In an attempt to have an alliance with Russia, Alek went to marry Anastasia, and this was the turn-out. I think that's everything.

Thank you so much for reading. Please review!

Love and Skittles,

HMF


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